Teen Drug Abuse – Teen Heroin Abuse

We all heard about Heroin and the strong addiction it causes, well these are not just stories to scare the teens so they would avoid it, these are facts. Heroin is a very dangerous and highly addictive drug. It is the fastest acting type of opiate and addiction comes very easy, and unfortunately this is one of the most commonly abuse drugs in our society and one of the drugs that poses a great risk for our teenagers.

Heroin is a drug processed from morphine, which is extracted from various poppy plants. One of the most alarming facts about heroin is the fact that 90% of the heroin found on the streets is not “pure” heroin; it is mixed with sugar, powder milk and starch or in some cases with various drugs and even poisons, so it poses a great threat to immediate health of the user.

Most teen heroin addicts are at great risk of overdose on heroin as they do not understand the strength and potency of this drug. As heroin is injected into the body with a needle there is also a great risk of contracting various diseases like HIV.

Although the most popular way to use heroin is by injection it can be sniffed or smoked. The intake is based on the level of high the user wants to feel, if heroin is injected intravenously it provides the “ultimate” high that kicks in after 7 or 8 seconds, while intramuscular injection will produce a slow high after 5 to 8 minutes. Smoking and sniffing start showing effects after 10 to 15 minutes. All forms of heroin abuse form an addiction, but it is a common myth and belief among teens that sniffing or smoking heroin doesn’t cause an addiction.

Research shows that even though injection is the primary method of heroin abuse, the use has taken rapid shift to snorting and smoking, mostly due to the belief that it doesn’t cause an addiction.

In the past years research has showed that the mostly wide spread group of heroin users are white teens, and this is not just among teens, this is among all heroin users of all age.

Heroin obviously is a great risk drug and the best way to avoid this problem is prevention as heroin is not a drug that is easy to quit. If you notice your teen uses heroin you need to start an intervention fast as the sooner you start the better the odds of your teen reforming. Teen heroin users are known to have relapses, so once a teen is caught using heroin you should keep an eye on him even after the rehabilitation.